Turkey arrests pro-Kurdish mayor of Mersin’s Akdeniz district

Mehmet Fazıl Türk, co-Mayor of Mersin’s Akdeniz district from pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP), was arrested by a Turkish court on Wednesday with charge of “being a member to terror organization” and “making propaganda on the behalf of a terror organisation.”

According to a report by T24 online news portal, Mehmet Fazıl Türk, who was detained on September 22, was arrested by a local court and sent to prison. Turkish government has previously appointed a trustee to Akdeniz Municipality.

Turkish government has stepped up political pressure on Kurdish politicians since 2016 as the government has appointed trustees to the management of dozens of municipalities and arrested at least 74 co-mayors and 10 deputies from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).